Low-dose propofol to prevent nausea and vomiting after laparoscopic surgery

To evaluate the efficacy of administering a low dose of propofol at the end of surgery in preventing postoperative nausea/vomiting in women undergoing gynecologic laparoscopic surgery.

In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 90 patients received intravenous injections of a placebo or propofol at 2 different low doses, 0.25 mg/kg or 0.5 mg/kg. All episodes of nausea, retching, or vomiting were then recorded for 24 hours.

The percentages of patients experiencing nausea, retching, or vomiting were 67% in the placebo group, 60% in the propofol 0.25 mg/kg group (P=0.39), and 33% in the propofol 0.5 mg/kg group (P=0.009). A significant difference in the rates of nausea/vomiting was found between the 2 propofol groups (P=0.03). No adverse events attributed to the study drug were observed.

Prophylactic therapy with 0.5 mg/kg of propofol was found to be effective in preventing nausea/vomiting in patients undergoing gynecologic laparoscopic surgery.